Current Status of Coral Reefs

This presentation will focus on studies by Les Kaufman of degradation and regenerative processes on coral reefs. Currently active field sites include Biscayne Bay and the Florida Reef Tract, the Mesoamerican Reef in Belize, and the Abrolhos Bank in Brazil as well as the Phoenix Islands of Kiribati (central Pacific). We conduct collaborative experiments in coral reef ontogeny and restoration with the Coral Restoration Foundation and several universities in Florida, the University of Belize, and others. Marine reserves and zoning schemes are used as adaptive management experiments, examining the outcomes of different management regimes with new diagnostics for marine ecosystem health and resilience, such as the Coral Health Index (CHI), and other measures of microbial, benthic and fish community function.

Boston Sea Rovers
Boston Sea Rovers